The Portland daily press., 1887-12-24
IMPERIAL MISERY.
The czars Lot One a Happy Man
Would not Envy.
Letter Of a Russian Courtier.l

1t is not too much to say that to-day Alex
ander I'LL. the autocrat Of all tie Russias,
is indeed one Of the most miserable men OF
this country. Putting aside the absurd no
tion that he, the Car, is virtually an earthly
god Of his own country, let us look at him as
a man, husband and father Of his family.
Not even the fiercest of the nihilists have
ever accused Alexander Alexandroviteh OF
being dishonest and personally eowardly
man, and yet since he ascended the imperial
throne he never enjoyed the lot Of the upright
man. Like an outlaw pursued by vigilance
committee, he Is forced to hide himself going
stealthily from one secluded place to another
When visiting this Capital he is expected to
follow faithfully detailed route made out
for him by the police, and 1t happened time
and again that his manhood spoke louder
than the Gar, and he ordered his driver TO
go by route ungarded and UNLOCKED ior,
to the indescrible CONSERVATION OF the police
detective and gend' 'armes officers. But lack
of comforts of civil life Is quite insignificant
by the side of the deep sorrow he suffers as
husband and father.
There Is no man in Russia truer and more
tender to his wife than Alexander Alexan-
droytch is to his. Now imagine the lot of
this loving husband realizing the dreadful
fact that his beloved wife, both physically
and mentally, is quite worn OUT, that the
restless nights and weary days and constant
real. LOT years HdNo COHipictciJ uhuOAuiAhC
her health, SO much so that to-day she is
showing the symptoms Of approaching In
sanity. Those who some six years ago have
seen the lovely, lively, rosy-cheeked and
eyersmiling wife of the Czaroviteh can hard
ly now realize the same woman In the Gar
ina. Pale, everitrembling at the least unex-
pected noise, with deep. dark circles sur
rounding her eyes-such Is the CZarina Of to-
day How dearly she has paid already for
the imperial crownl And her hour OF trial
is yet at the beginning. Is there woman
in Russia who would exchange her lot Tor
the Czarina'sP To dread ceaselessly for her
husbands fate. and TO walt Tor premature
but inevitable death Of her elder son, this Is
enough to break the heart Of any woman.
The doom Of the CZarovitch is sealed.
He has consumption. This is a court secret
Think only Of the Cars feelings In view OF
repeated attempts on his life; III the worst
should happen to him, who would take
charge Of his family and the empire? Ger
tainly the Czar0viteh is not in condition to
take up that burden. Then he would abdi-
cate In favor Of his next brother, Grand
Duke George, a youth Of 16. But that would
involve perturbation that might endanger
the very imperial throne We must have in
view that the imperial house Of Romanoh OF
to-day, is not at all happy and peaceful
family There is in Ii as much OF discomfort,
conspiracy and hatred as in the country at
large. Grand Duke Constantine, uncle OF
the Gar, for instance, has a personal grudge
against the autocrat, and II is said he would
agree to any terms, provided he would be
placed at the helm Of the government. be 1t
with the title of a Gar or a constitutional
Emperor, or even of,a President. But Grand
Duke Vladimir. the Chief Commander OF the
army Of the st. Petersburg district, a man OF
the Nicholas type, would not surrender MS
power to anyone, so that there would be In
deed lively times here should nihilists
bomb reach its aim.